Frederick a



No. 6|6,o"84. Patented bea. 2o, |898. F. A. w.'nAv|s.

COLUMN.

(Application led Aug'. 20, 1898.)

(No Model.) l

jm; Nonms PErsRs co.. PHOTO-umn.. WASHINGTON. n. c.

Nrrno STATES FREDERICK A. W. DAVIS, OF INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA.

COLUMN.

srncrrIeAfrIoN forming part of Letters Patent N0.- 6163084, datedDecember 2o, 1898. Application tiled August 20, 1898. Serial No.689,086. (No model.)

ToaZZ whom t may concern.'

Be it kn own that LFREDERIOK A. W.DAv1s, a citizen of the United States,residing at Indianapolis, in the county of Marion and State ofIndiana,have invent'ed certain new and useful Improvements in Columns,of which the following is a specification.

The object of my present invention is to provide a means whereby strongand rigid columns can be constructed, especially in deep water; and sucha column consists, generally speaking, in a series of metal tubes, onearranged within the other, with the spaces within the tubes preferablyiilled with suitable stiffeningV material. A modiied form consists in aseries of tubes, as before, with flanges extending from tube to tube inthe intervening spaces, through which the strain may be transmitted fromone to another and the entire strength of all thus utilized. Flanges arealso preferably employed when the filling is used in order to accuratelysecure evenly-spaced distances between the several tubes. Columns ofthis kind are designed to start from suitable bases and may be prolongedby coupling sections of pipe together until any required height isattained.

Said invention will be iirst fully described and the novel featuresthereof then pointed out in the claims.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, which are made a part hereof,and on which similar reference characters indicate similar f parts,Figure lis a view,partially in side elevation and partially in section,illustrating the. construction of a column embodying my said invention,the saine being provided with a flat base and a fragment of a trussbeing shown as resting on the top of the column, the spaces between thetubes forming this column being shown as empty, except for theintervening Iianges; Fig. 2, a horizontal sectional view of such acolumn, on a somewhat enlarged scale, showing the spaces between thetubes of which vthe column is composed lled with concrete or some suchmaterial; Fig. 3, aview similar to the lower end of Fig. l, except thatthe same is shown in elevation and with a pointed base adapted to bedriven into the earth where the bottom is soft; and Fig. 4, a sectionalview of the form shown in Fig. 3.

Referring now especially to Fig. 2, the column is shown as composed of aseries of tubes l, 2, 8, 4, and 5 of varying sizes, the smallest onebeing the center and the larger ones surrounding it in regulargradations until any desired size is attained. Flanges f are shown asplaced upon each of these tubes, except the outer one, said flangesbeing as wide as the space between the tube bearing the same and the oneimmediately outside of it and preferably extending the whole length ofthe tubes, although they may be in sec tions. These flanges serve bothto insure that the tubes shall occupy the proper relation to eachother-that is, shall be as far from each other at one point as atanother-A and also to stiften the tubes and assist in transmitting thestrain from one to another,

so that the entire structure when properly erected and loaded shallcarry substantially an equal strain throughout. In the intersticesbetween .the several tubes and the tianges I prefer to insert a fillingmaterial, such as concrete or in some cases metal lings or turnings,which will rapidly become a substantially solid mass under the action ofthe water, so that the column becomes practically solid. In the erectionof such a column a section of the largest-sized pipe which is to be usedis first secured to the base (two forms of base B and B' are shown) andthe same is lowered, the operatives coupling on additional sections bymeans of the coupling-rings c until the base rests securely upon theybottom of the body of the water where the column is being erected. Tubesof the next size having the flanges secured thereto are then insertedwithin the larger tube in the same manner, and so on until the desirednumber of tubes have been put in place, and the column (unless it is tohave the Iine filling material) is thus completed. If the iillingmaterial is to be used which I prefer, all the interstices are lledtherewith, which, as will be readily understood, makes a more rigid anddurable column.

The form of base B shown in Fig. l is designed to be used where thebottom upon which it is to rest is comparatively hard and agood surfacefoundation can be obtained. The form of base B' shown in Fig. 3 isdesigned to be used where the bottom is soft ICO and the column needs tobe driven into the same to a greater or less extent. As shown in Figs. land t, the upper portion of the base where the tubing comes in contacttherewith is formed with a step7 to enter the lower end of each tubeseparately, thus bringing said tubes to exact position at thebottom andholding them firmly in place. I prefer that the portions of the basewhich enter the tubes shall be large enough so as to cause a drivingtit, the upper edges of each such entering portion being tapered orrounding, so as to start into the tubes easily.

Then that form of base B shown in Fig. 1 is employed which is adapted torest upon a rock bottom or foundation, it is desirable to provide ameans by which it may be certainly held in place at all times after ithas been located. In order to do this, I provide a central perforationthrough the base (of considerable size) and after the structure is properly seated in place drill down through said perforation a suitabledistance into the solid bottom o r foundation below and then drop aheavy pin P down through said perforation and into the perforation inthe rock, which of course results in holdingthe structure to itsposition.

In sinking these columns it is of course desirable that the water shouldiiow in as the structure descends. It is therefore desirable to provideone or more orifices through the base, such as the orifice 0. (Shown atthe bottom in Fig. l.) The same results may be secured by makingorifices o in the outer pipe just above the base, as shown in Fig. 3.

At the top of Fig. l I have illustrated a fragment of a truss T orstrong frame. It is obvious that where heavy lifting is to be done inthe water, as in the case of raising vessels, a number of columns ofthis character can be readily placed around the object to be raised andaheavy truss or framework placed on the upper ends thereof, from whichthe raisin g-tackle may be suspended. This structure is adapted for manyuses and heavy work. \Vhere, for example, a ship has sunk in deep water,it serves as a means by which it can be raised and saved, and thecolumns themselves may be raised in sections and taken away for otheruse after the work has been completed, as the tubes are screwed togetherin convenient lengths, which admit of an easy assembling anddisassembling, except where the filling is used. The latter form,including the filling, is designed especially for the more permanentstructures, although, of course, where the utmost strength and rigidityfor the size are required and the object to be attained is suflicientlyimportant to warrant the abandonment of a structure after a single usethe filling maybe used for merely temporary structures.

Columns of this character also form ahighly elficient piling and areespecially desirable in localities where ordinary wooden piles aresubject to be destroyed by insects, which, as l is well known, is aserious difficulty in many places. My column being, in its preferredform,composed of alternately-arranged metal and cement or concrete tubeswill resist deteriorating causes more effectually. Even in situationswhere the outer metal shell becomes destroyed or impaired by oxidationor otherwise the cement or concrete tube immediately within it willresist such destroying agency in a highly efficacious manner, while theinner metal tubes, being completely surrounded and covered by theconcrete, are protected and their strength remains unimpaired.

I-Iaving thus fully described my said invention, what Ipclaim as new,and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. A column composed of a suitable base and a series of tubes mountedthereon one within another and braced and supported by connectingdevices in the spaces between them, substantially as set forth.

2. A column, composed of 'a suit-able base, a series of tubes ofdifferent sizes arranged one within another, and flanges on said tubeswhich extend between the tubes bearing them and the adjacent tubes,whereby equal distances between the several tubes are main tained.

3. A metal column comprising a suitable base, several tubes of varyingsizes mounted thereon one within another' and braced one to another, andfilling material of a hard and solidifying character packed in thespaces between said tubes, substantially as set forth.

4. A column, composed of several tubes of different sizes arranged onewithin another, each tube being composed of several sections coupledtogether the couplings being arranged at different intervals thusbreaking joints, and lianges on said tubes whereby the distances betweenthe several tubes are maintained, substantially as set forth.

5. A column, composed of abase, and sev eral tubes of different sizesarranged one witlb in another, the outermost and largest tube beingstrongly connected to the base, while the inner tubes rest upon saidbase, the positions of the several tubes in relation to one anotherbeing determined bydista1ice-ilanges secured at suitable intervals,substantially as shown and described.

6. A column, composed of several tubes of different sizes arranged onewithin another, and a base upon which said tubes are mounted having aseparate receiving-'step or base portion for each tube over which thelower ends of the tubes respectively pass and whereby they areV held inplace thereon.

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In witness whereof Ihave hereunto set my hand and seal, at Indianapolis,Indiana, this 16th day of August, A. I). 1898.

'FREDERICK A. W. DAVIS. lit.. s]

Vitnesses:

CHESTER BRADFORD, JAMES A. WALSH.

